Our Campaigns
Below is a list of our current campaigns. Click on the bar for each campaign for more information or hit the expand all button to see all at once..
These are our main campaigns, which vary from very specific to much wider ranging. we also take action in other areas including supporting individual students and addressing only ongoing issues. As time goes on we will also be writing open letters on disability related issues so if one applies to you you can print it off having some standard letters on issues that reacure which you are welcome to download and distribute if the issues dealt with apply to you.
We also keep a record of our old campaigns though this is limited as the campaign is very new.
If you would like to help out with any of these campaigns or would like to suggest something else we should be campaigning on then do get in touch or come along to one of our events.
The DSC’s campaigns are determined by all its members through open meetings: anyone can bring a new idea, and everyone has to feel comfortable before we take something forward. Many of us involved in the campaign have found it a relief to tackle the challenges we face as disabled students collectively, without feeling a lone voice in a disabling society. We’re keen to have lots of new voices getting actively involved and shaping the campaign this year, but here’s a taster of what we’ve been doing so far.
Access
Pretty much all our campaigns come under then heading of Access as this is such a diverse concept. We are going to be raising awareness of access as an important issue which should be a priority for the University. There is loads of work to be done to make all aspects of University life accessible, and this should be top of the University's agenda. At both an institutional and an individual level, our aim is to make people much more aware of and serious about access, so that disabled students will cease to be excluded from any area of University life. We are also trying to ensure that the University's obligations under the new Equality Act are met, including full consultation with disabled people.
This includes things like wheelchair access and access to those with sensory impairments but is much wider in scope, below is just some of what we're working on or hoping to be shortly.
Positive Self Definition
Positive self-definition as disabled is one of our founding principles. This isn't about what's wrong with you or what you're not good at - it's about making sure that facts about your body or mind don't hold you back, limit the options available to you, or invite prejudice or discrimination. Impairment is no more valid a basis for marginalisation or exclusion than sexuality, race, gender, or eye colour (fortunately we're not aware of any societies where eye colour has been an excuse for discrimination). Encouraging positive self definition is a big part of what we're focusing on as a campaign, and we need everyone to get involved in finding creative ways to combat the stigma surrounding identification as disabled.
This campaign will be ongoing and there is more information on what we mean by positive self definition.
College Reps or Nothing about us without us
We campaign for all those acting as disabled students' representatives in colleges to self-define as disabled: it's an important principle of many liberation campaigns (LBGT, women's, black, disabled etc.) that they should only be represented by people who are part of the group seeking liberation. Or in other words ‘nothing about us without us'. Historically, disabled people have been denied a voice, and self-defining representation is an important part of making sure we're in control of our own welfare and campaigns.
Perhaps you'd like to check out the situation in your college and consider running for this position. We can offer any support, advice or resources you need.
Access within the application procedure
Some people will have no obstacles in their way for getting into Cambridge, but for others, especially disabled students, getting to Cambridge can be a challenge. The access officer is here to ensure that the University is doing everything that it can to make sure that the applications process is accessible and fair for disabled students, and also to alleviate any fears that potential applicants may have about coming to Cambridge. Access is also about outreach, endeavouring to ensure that anyone who has the potential to gain admission to Cambridge is enabled to do so and is given the confidence to apply.
The Access Officer's job is to campaign on access issues related to the applications procedure to Cambridge. Follow the link to find out more about their role and how to help.
Referals to DRC
Some of us involved in the campaign have degraded (a Cambridge word for taking time out of study) due to mental health problems, but were not treated as disabled students, and didn't get referred to the DRC for support. We'd like to make sure this doesn't happen to people in the future by campaigning for every disabled student who degrades to be automatically referred to the DRC, whether their impairment is a mental health one or something else.
Issues with degrading
We are aware that many students experience unfair issues with the process of degrading and rules the university has in place. If you are or have experienced such issues then we encourage you to get in touch either to ask for support or to offer ideas and help as to how to campaign to improve the situation.
Defending Social Care Funding
When the government's budget was announced, a disabled student brought a proposal to the DSC and to CUSU to campaign against cuts to social care funding that will further disadvantage disabled students. The full-time CUSU Access Officer is now helping and will be bringing it up with relevant people, and we hope to increase understanding amongst Cambridge students of how vital social care funding is. Through the DSC, Cambridge students will be able to take action against any cuts that risk unfairly disadvantaging disabled people.